Method of making display cutouts



Jan. 24, 1950 o. w. GREGSON ET AL 2,495,519

METHOD OF MAKING DISPLAY CUTOUTS Filed Aug. 25, 1946 2 Shets-Sheec 1 fillmlma law 2 5.-

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WA zjM/x/ y Jan. 24, 1950 o. WQGREGSON ET AL METHOD OF MAKING DISPLAY CUTOUTS 7 Filed Aug. 23, ;L946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I-leave the desireddesisn u ilizing a st ndard ty es? pa s h es-re i-inem chin .s arransineend i he eng a Patentecl Jan. 24-, 1950 UNITEDMSYTATES PATENT OFFICE v 4 ,519 M 'II'HD 0F I P AY C T U Oswal d'W Gregson and Earl A. Ekstrcm,

I S i us, Application August 23 .ableplastics, either .in powderedpr liquid iorin,

and such processes thus require the makin of a separate mold for eacharticle being nroduced. Various types of :injec ion molding Inachines are employed for sucha purpose Other efiorts to'makee s ch display-devices utilize jigsaw methqdajbut these;were not satisfactory nor suita le as the jigsaw had te have an entering cutand no complete or separate cut ting-out action waspossible.r Also, a hand-cut method using a pattern has been attempted but all these priormethods are expensive, slow, and

difficult in carrying out the same, and involve displays, and cut-.outs in accurate Mass.

19 6.. es me-t am oiaim. (cum-17) :various finishing and sri'ioothir goperations ior the finished article; q

By our present invention, we are; enabled "to form cut-outs, advertising display devices such as prices, designs, artistic and highly developed contoured figures, or novel and separate letters, figures, or design elements as may be desired,

,and to reproduce the same w-ith perfect accuracy at relatively high speed, -economically} and ex;

peditiously, with a minimum of wastemaierial.

In carrying out our present invention, we have discovered that we can form complete and finfished designs. andarticlesfli Wide V ri f rms in plastic sheets. comp ete y cuttin o t from the plastic sheet the surplus material to finished form by n'etoolto cut. completely. thsilw h P asti she and to follow any design from a template pattern with the tracer stylus of the pantcgraph machine, Which will cause the cutter to cut out the plastic at any desired set size, reduction, or enlargcment desired with accuracy.

By our novel and improved method, we are thus enabled to follow any desired design by a continuous and complete cutting out operation and to produce a new and improved type of com-v and to reproduce the same st us nd a which controls'the operation of the cutting tool ..lll as; 'thesame is -moved progressively overthe blank or strip l2 in which the cut-outs -on]the template 2 are reproduced at any desired regauges l1 pletely finished attractive article, particularly suitedior display and advertisingpurposes,

Referring to the drawings illustrating various embodiments of our presentinvention' as made by our novel method:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a strip-of plastic, material in positionnnder'the cutter of a pantograph machine, with the .tem: plate to control the cutter, being shown in diagrammatic form;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the.line'2-2 of Fig. .1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the cutter;

Fig. 1.5 is a perspective view .ofa single figure being cut from the template illustrated in Fig. l; V Fig. 6 is a view of a plurality of individual cut- :out figures or letters'being assembled on a dis- ;play stand;

Fig. '7 is an end view of the Fig. 6 assemblyi united and being cutout froma sheet-0f plastic material by our novel method.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates in diagrammatic form the worktable or-platen I of a standard type ofengraving machine; to which, is suitably attached a template 2, having a plurality of prepared designs 3-3 whichds formed-end; adjusted to be appliedby the tracing at 5 of the pantograph machine lation, reduction, or enlargement.

The blank I2 is supportedbetweena fixed edge guide Hand a movable edge guide l5, both being supperted on a worktable -.l6,- Adjustable .end and 18 also attached to the'worktable it are provided to completely engage and hold the sides and ends of the blank l2. To position the fixed guide I4 in desired position, a plurality of slots 20 are formed therethru thru which the shank of an adjusting screw 2| fitted thru the bottom of the worktable are supplied, on each of which screws 2| a wing nut 22 is threaded bearing against a washer 23 of greater diameter than the width of the slots 28, thus permitting moveheaded screws 26,

ment of the guide l4 into desired position and then clamping the same by rotating the wing nuts 22, as will be readily appreciated.

We desire to support the edge portions of the blank l2 slightly above the surface of the worktable [6 so that a supply of liquid 30 can be held in position under the blank l2 and thereby permit the cutter H] to cut entirely thru the thickness of the blank [2 during the cutting out operation which liquid partially supports the blank and simultaneously cools both the blank and the cuttin tool Ill. For this purpose a pair of ribs 25 (see Fig. 3) are supplied, being fitted in correspondingly shouldered recessesin the blank-engaging edge of both the fixed guide l4 and the movable member I5, being held in position by as shown, and on the projecting portions of which ribs 25 the edges of the blank I 2 are supported. The liquid 36 is thus enclosed. The sliding edge guide I5 is arranged to be moved quickly into and out of blank-clamping position by a cam lever 33, havin a handle 34 for operating the same, and being connected to the sliding gauge l5 by a link 35 secured by a pivot pin 36 to a fork 37 formed on the central portion ,of the movable guide I 5.

This link 35 will have its opposite end pivoted :at 38 to the cam 33 in position approximately as shown in Fig. 3, and a movement of the handle 34 to the right, viewing Fig. 3, will cause the lower part of the cam 33 to engage an upstanding angle iron 40.and slide the gauge l5, thus freein the blank from clamped position and permitting removal of a cut-out blank and replacement of a blank for subsequent operatio J'The link 35 is provided with a collar 4i and a coiled spring 42 encircles the link 35 between said collar 44 and a washer 45, thus affording a yield- 'ing pressure on the sliding gauge l5 when the clamp 33 is released and thus the blank is held vunder the yielding tension of the spring 42. This gauge i5 is held in position by the end members I1 and I8 and also by a set screw 44 passing thru a slot 45, and said set screwbeing threaded into a correspondingly tapped recess in the worktable l5, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. j, It will be appreciated that the plastic blank l2 can be of any dseired width or length within reasonable limits andthe'capaci'ty of the machine to handle the same, to make the desired designs in 'accordancce with the template fitted to the ma- -c n fcolor, thickness, and rigidity desired for the par- Such plastic material also can be of any ticular design andcut-out pattern to be formed j therein.

With the apparatus adjusted as above ex- .plained and as shown in the drawing, the pantograph is set to follow the pattern and the cutter l rotated by a belt and pulley 50 and |,the cutter being fitted and clamped in the usual check 52 and the cut-out operation is automatically performed in the blank.

Such cut-outs can be a complete design or a letter, figure, or a combination of the same.

, As shown in Fig. 5 and with the pattern of Fig.

1, a simple figure as 1, designated as 55, is completely formed and is cut out as an individual figure. We have here illustrated such figures or letters being completely out out as an individual figure or letter, and preferably formed with a foot or shoe 56 which can be employed to fit in a slot 51 of a stand 58, as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, thus permitting assembly of the figures and letters into desired prices, words, numbers, etc., and constituting a complete assembly display with a stand 58. If desired, the figures or letters can be cut out without the foot 56, as for example as shown at 60 illustrating the letter H, see Fig.

desired relation with contrasting colors if able.

8; and thereupon these letters may be mounted on a backboard 6|, or the like, and assembled in advis- In Fig. 11 we have illustrated a complete design assembled with a legend or name in connection with a word or design, such design being shown for illustrative purposes as comprising an ornamental border 65, the representation of a bathing figure 66, and'the letters integral therewith spelling out the name Swim suits, or the like.

These various illustrations are typical of the capacity of our method of forming display and advertising cut-outs, novelties, and devices, and are each formed completely and quickly in finished design and permit of accurate reproduction in large number and quantities.

We claim: 1

The improved method of forming novelty display cut-out devices from plastic sheet material, which consists in providing a pantograph engraving machine with a receptacle to hold liquid in position to contact with and partially support the sheet material to be cut, supplying liquid thereto, assembling a plastic blank to be cut in position to be partially supported by said liquid and to permit an engraving cutter to penetrate entirely thru the blank during the cutting-out operation, the cutter extending into said liquid, and said liquid cooling both blank and said cutter, preparing a template of the design to be out out, fitting said template in an engraving machine, and setting the machine for reproducing the template in the blank with a cutter operating to cut entirely thru the blank and in set relation with the design of the template.

OSWALD W. GREG-SON. EARL A. EKSTROM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

